Marker flare



May 30y 1950 G. A. slLvEY 2,509,943

MARKER FLARE Fi l 9 d M a r C h 1 0 1 9 4 7 l FIG.

l i j I l 23 """INHIIII IMI NNNNNN 0R /s /7 GENE A. SIU/EY I ATTORNEYPatented May 30, 1950 MARKER FLARE Gene A. Silvey, Seattle, Wash.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Application March 10, 1947,Serial No. 735,591

l Claim. l

The present invention relates to marker devices and more particularly toan improved marker iiare for use in testing torpedoes which areYequipped with an influence type of detonating or exploding mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved marker device whichwill function to indicate the location of a. test torpedo, equipped withan influence type of detonating or exploding mechanism, at the time suchiniiuence mechanism operates.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved buoyant markerilare designed to be simultaneously discharged from a test torpedo ofthe character described and ignited to indicate the location ofoperation of the inuence mechanism by means of a smoke signal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved non-explosivestarting mixture for use in the ignition assembly of a are.

Another object oi the invention is to provide an improved buoyant markerdevice designed to be discharged from a test torpedo of the characterdescribed and to color the surface of the water to indicate the locationof operation of the influence mechanism.

Another ob'ject of the invention is to provide an improved buoyantmarkei` nare designed to be simultaneously discharged from a testtorpedo of the character described and ignited to produce a smoke signaland in addition designed to color the surface of the water to indicatethe location of operation of the iniiuence mechanism by means of thesmoke signal and/or the colored area of the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a marker are of thecharacter described which is sturdy, simple to construct, and economicalof manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become evident from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and itwill be evident that many changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the Spiritof the invention as expressed in the accompanying claim. Therefore, theinvention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction andarrangement of parts shown and described, as only the preferred form hasbeen shown and described by way of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the marker iiare taken on theplane indicated by the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the discharge end of the marker flare.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the discharge endof the marker flare taken on the plane 3 3 or Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of the lower end of the marker are.

The present invention relates to a flare which is used primarily intesting torpedoes which are equipped with an inuence type of detonatingor exploding mechanism. The purpose of the flare is to indicate theposition of the test torpedo relative to the target when theinfluence-operated mechanism has functioned. This is accomplished by theflare being projected from the test torpedo by means of a are gun, thegun being controlled by said influence-operated mechanism. This gun notonly projects the iiare but simultaneously ignites the fuze as will beshown below.

The marker iiare comprises a cylindrical block of Wood or other buoyantmaterial I through which extend longitudinally two discharge flues 2 and3 opening at their lower ends by short ducts 4 into an axial bore 5. Thedischarge ports at the upper or discharge ends of these flues areinitially closed by means of a protective strip B of adhesive tape, ofsuch nature that it may be removed from the ports by the action of thewater, or by pressure from within the flare, after it has been launchedunder water. The axial bore 5 contains a pyrotechnic charge 'I or smokemixture of a slow-burning powder in a retaining protective tube of zinc,lead or the like. Such smoke charges are well known and are used innumerous applications.

The lower end of the charge becomes ignited when the marker flare isdischarged from the iare gun carried by the torpedo and the slowburningpowder emits a black smoke that passes through the ducts i into thefiues 2 and 3. After the tape 6 has been removed and the upper end ofthe marker flare has emerged above the water surface, the black smokerises from the iiue in two columns that merge to form the smoke signal.

An ignition assembly for activating the charge 'I' is mounted on thelower end of the block I. This assembly includes a metallic stud or body8 having an interior bore 9 containing a primer. The stud is fashionedwith an integral circular disk I0 forming an attaching ange, which isseated in a recess in the base of the block I to position and retain thepowder charge l in the block. The integral disk or attaching flange I0is retained in the said recess by means of a circular cover plate I'lwhich is secured to the block l by the nails l2. Wax or an equivalentmaterial is preferably applied to the joints between the various partsin the ignition assembly in the baseV oi the marker to render theassembly substantially waterproof'. To insure a compact and eiectivelysealed joint between the ignition assembly and the block l, the stud 3is externally'rthreaded to receive a nut I3 that rigidly clamps over thecover plate Il and attaching'flange I0, and reinforces the plate as asupport for the assembly.

rEhe bore 9 which opens to the charge l"l contains a suitable primer ornonexplosive starting mixture that may include a slightly nitrated scotton wad. A satisfactory starting mixture. con-k sists of:

Percent by weight Sulphur -17 Antimony 16 Potassium nitrate .r r 42 Leaddioxide T 7 25 Thebore 9 inthe studhasareduced extension `forming a portlil which `terminates -in an enlarged chamber-carryinga percussioncharge 15. A cup I6 of soft frangiblemetal provides a waterproof sealfor the charge i5. A metallic cap i1 vwhich threads upon the Ystud 8seals the cup l charged from the gun, the lpropelling force lof thedischarge impinges upon the head '|9, thereby driving the Vpin vi8through the thin Wall of the soft metal'cup 19 into the vpercussioncharge I5. The starting mixture or primer in the Y'bore 9 is therebyignited, which in turn ignites the main pyrotechnic charge-or smokemixture. To vent'the bore of the stud 8 torelease excess gases ofignition, lateral ports -20 are lprovided inthe stud. These vent portsare initially closed 'by a strip of adhesive tape 2l wrapped aroun'd'theported stud. When the marker flare vis projected from the torpedo, 'theactionof the wateren the adhesive and/or the pressure Vproduced'in theing the surface of the water over the area in which the inuencremechanism of thejtest tor,- pedo has just functioned. This isaccomplished bore of the stud is suicient Vto 'uncover the ports 4 bythe provision of two diagonally arranged bores 22 each of Which containsa dye material initially retained in the bores by a strip of adhesivetape 23. The adhesive of this tape being readily water-soluble, the dyematerial in the bore 22 is soon exposed to the Water, inasmuch as thelateral ports of these diagonal bores are below the waterline of theflare. This dye material thus exposed dissolves in the water to colorthe surface thereof to indicate the area into which `the marker wasprojected and in which the in- Afluence mechanism of the torpedooperated.

vWhat is claimed is:

Ina .marker .iiare designed to Vbe projected iroman `underwater locationby means of a flare gun, the combination of a buoyant cylindricalWoodenblock, said block having an axial bore extending through one endof the block but terminating short of the other end, having also twosymmetricallyaplaced longitudinal bores .extending 'from `end -fto endof'fthe lblock between `the axial- `bore .and the outer surface lof `theblock, and having urtherfa pair :oftransverse Ythe remaining pair lof:ends of -the"longitudinal bores. Y

- :GENE A. ESILVEY.

REFERENCES CTTLED 'The following .references are ``of record vin -thei'ileof athis patent:

UNITED STATES vPAIENIS Y Number Name -Date 2,114,213 Clauser 1 vApr.V12, 1938 2,119,697 Anderson Y .June 7 1938 '2,263,585 Moore Vet al.;Nov. 25,1941

2,338,719 Holt Janl 11,1944 .2,409,380 Neholsy `Oct. 15, A19416 Y2,410,801 `Audrieth Nov. 12, 1946 2,470,783 Mead May24, 1949 :FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country 'Date 183,781 Germany 'May7, `l907

